Self-priming deep well pumping system



y 1956 c. JACUZZI ETAL 2,747,507

SELF-PRIMING DEEP WELL PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 :EII3 J /02 INVENTOR5. Cand/do Jacuzz/ BY F/oyd M Nash w WM ATTORNEYS May 29, 1956 c. JACUZZI ETAL 2,747,507

SELF-PRIMING DEEP WELL PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wm M flTTUP/VEKS' May 29, 1956 c. JACUZZI ETAL 2,747,507

SELF-PRIMING DEEP WELL PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 :EIIE El IN VEN TORS. Cand/a'o Jacuzz/ BY F mya M. Nash 14 TTOIP/VEYS United States Patent SELF-PRIMING DEEP WELL PUMPING SYSTEM .Candido Jacuzzi, Lafayette, and Floyd M. Nash, Berkeley, Calif., assignors to Jacuzzi Bros., Inc., Richmond, .Calif., a corporation of California Application February 9, 1953, Serial No. 335,742

6 Claims. (Cl. 103-5) This invention relates to water pumping systems, and more particularly-to self-priming deep well pumping systems and improvements therein.

Among the objects of the invention are the following: the provision of an improved deep well pumping system which does not require the employment of a foot valve; the provision of a deep well pumping system of the jet type having a novel and efiicient above-ground valving system for the pressure and suction lines, which valving system is operable solely under the control of pressure conditions existing within the pumping system; the provision of a deep well pumping system of the impellerdriven jet type embodying means ensuring the selfpriming of the system when the impellers are actuated; and the provision ofta deep well pumping system of the impeller-driven jet type embodying means ensuring that the jet will not be starved due to an air-caused loss of prime inthe impeller portion of the system.

Other objectsand advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a deep well pumping system embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cutaway view in perspective showing the details of the pumping system of the invention, and the path of flow of water therethrough when the system isin operation;

Figure 3 is a view in section taken along lines 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4is a cutaway view in perspective of the valve system forming a part of the pumping system of the invention.

Referring to the drawings for more specific details of the improved pumping system of the invention, the system is comprised, broadly, of a multi-staged rotary pump of the impeller type, indicated generally at 10, a motor 12 disposed in driving relation to the pump, a pressure line 14-disposed in flow-receiving relation with a high pressure section of the pump and in flow-delivery relation with an injector assembly *16, a suction line 18 disposed in flow-receiving relation with the injector assembly and in flow-delivery relation with a low pressure section of the pump, and a tank 20, having a service outlet 22, said tank serving as a priming chamber for the pump system and being in flow-receiving relation with the low pressure section of thepump and in flow-delivery relation with the high pressure section of the pump.

More specifically, the rotary pump comprises a plurality of spaced and axially aligned impellers 24, 26, 28 and 30 secured to pump shaft 32 for rotation therewith. The impellers, which are of the conventional axial inlet-radial outlet type, are enclosed within vertically stacked and mutually secured pump casing sections 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42, with the lower section 34 further constituting a base for the pump, and with the upper section 42 having formed integral therewith a support bracket '44 adapted to support the-motor 12, the output shaft 46 of which is connected to pump shaft 32 through a packing boss 48 forming a part of the upper casing sec.- tion. The lower end of the pump shaft is fitted within a bearing sleeve 50 which is anchored, preferably, by threaded attachment with bearing boss 52 forming an integral portion of base section 34.

Such further details of the multi-stage pump itself as are necessary for a full understanding or" the purpose and mode of operation of the invention may be best derived from a description of the paths along which. water is constrained to flow within the pump. With particular reference to Figure 2, flow from line 18 is directed through passageway 54, defined within casing section 34, to the input, or eye, of impeller 24. The radial discharge flow from impeller 24 is re-directed by the diffuser por-- tion of casing section 36 to the. eye of impeller 26. The: discharge flow from impeller 26 is directed by the diffuser portion of casing section 38 and by a partition wall 56' forming an integral portion of casing section 38 to a vertically disposed passageway 58 extending downwardly through casing sections 38 and 36 to an output boss 60 formed integral with section 34, said boss being in flow communication with tank 20 by means of nipple 61 ex? tending through tank opening 63.

Pressure line 14 is disposed in flow-receiving relation to tank 20 through: chamber 62, formed in casing sec tion 34; vertical passageway 64 communicating with chamber 62 and extending upwardly through casing section 36 and the partitionwall 56 of casing 33; the eye of impeller 28; the diiruser portion of casing section 40; the eye of impeller 30; the diffuser portion of casing section 42; and vertically disposed passageway 66 extending downwardly through the casing sections to outlet 68 formed in the base section 34.

The base section 34 is provided with a flange 70 Qr the connection of the section to the tank, and is further provided with a valve housing 72 fitted with a removable cover 74. A partition wall 76 divides the space within the housinginto a pair of chambers 78 and Within chamber 78 there is disposed a check valve 82 in association with a seat 84 carried by an internal housing shoulder 86, while within chamber there is disposed a check valve 88 in association with a seat 90 carried by an internal housing shoulder 92. The valve 88 is provided with a stem 94 having a connection with a diaphragm 96, the marginal edge of which is clamped between the housing 72 and the housing cover 74, A passage 98 through partition wall 99 formed in the'cover 7.4 provides for communication between chamber 78and that portion of valve housing chamber 80 disposed above the diaphragm 96.

Suction line 18 communicates with chamber 78 below the valve seat 84, while the base section passageway 5.4 communicates with the chamber above the valve seat. The pressure line 14- communicates with chamber 80 below the valve seat 99, while the base section outlet 68 communicates with chamber'fiil between the valve seat and diaphragm 96.

A foot member 100 serving as an intake for the injector assembly 16 is porvided with a strainer 102; No 'foot valve is employed in the present deep-well pumping system.

When the motor 12 is energized in response to a decrease in tank pressure to a predetermined point, as indicated by the conventional pressure-sensitive switch 164, the upper group of impellers 28 and 30, which are disposed below the level of the tank service line 22 and thereby submerged in water at tank pressure during periods of inactivity of the pump, produce a rapid increase of pressure against the underside of diaphragm 96- in opposition to the tank pressure-condition-existing at the other side of the diaphragm, causing the diaphragm to raise and open pressure line valve 88.

The resulting relatively high pressure-low volume flow through the pressure line induces a relatively low pressure-high volume flow through the suction line 18, causing suction line valve 82 to open and allow the suction line flow, which may contain, particularly at the outset, a substantial quantity of entrained air, as indicated at 106, to pass through the pressure-boosting lower group of impellers 24 and 26 to the tank. The location of the service line 22 with respect to the upper, or high pressure, group of impellers ensures that the upper stages of the system will be primed, and the vertical spacing between the service line and point of connection between the pump and the tank is suflicient to ensure that the well lines to the injector assembly will be filled when the pump begins operating.

The nipple 61 extends a substantial distance into the tank so that the entrained air will be delivered into the tank a sufficient distance from the intake chamber 62 for the upper group of impellers to ensure that the water withdrawn from the tank to feed the injector assembly will not contain entrapped air. Such entrapped air could cause the pump to lose its prime. In this connection, it is to be pointed out that a simple sealing ring 108 is carried by partition wall 56 in wiping relation with a spacer bearing 110 disposed on shaft 32 between the hubs of impellers 26 and 28. The function of this sealing ring is to prevent air from passing above the partition wall 56, it being unnecessary to provide a water seal at this point since the pressures in both the second and third stages of the pump are approximately the same, i. e., substantially equal to the pressure within the tank.

When the pressure within the tank has increased to a value corresponding to the upper setting of pressuresensitive switch 104, the motor 12 is de-energized. There is an abrupt drop in pressure at the underside of diaphragm 96, allowing the valve 88 to close by gravity as the pressure beneath the diaphragm approaches the pressure value existing in the suction line which communicates with the space above the diaphragm. The valve 82 closes when the suction line flow drops OE. With both valves closed, the water in the system above the valves is prevented from draining into the well, and the pressure is equalized throughout the system.

The dome space above the diaphragm may be connected to the tank itself or to any point in the low pressure staging of the pump, the criteria being that it should be connected to some pressure point within the system which provides a reduced pressure above the diaphragm relative to that below the diaphragm when the pump is in operation and which provides a pressure above the diaphragm corresponding to that below the diaphragm when the pump is not in operation. However, the side by side positioning of the pressure-responsive valves in conjunction with the communicating passage 98 is the preferred arrangement from the standpoint of manufacture and assembly of the pumping system and from the standpoint of accessibility of the valve elements for repair and maintenance.

It is to be pointed out that if the above-ground pressure-responsive valves were to be replaced with a foot valve in the well, the pump system would still be such as to not lose its prime while in operation because of the above-described air separation features embodied in the system in favor of an air-free running condition at all times of the upper stage impellers.

It will be noted that the single chamber tank is a multi-purpose unit, serving as an air separation chamber, a pressure chamber, and a priming chamber. With respect to the priming chamber function, the disposition of the tank output line beneath the tank input line and substantially at the bottom of the tank enables the utilization of substantially the entire head pressure within the tankfor priming purposes.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that all substantial equivalents thereof are within the spirit and scope of the invention.-

What is claimed is:

l. A pump system comprising a pump unit having a plurality of impeller stages mounted on a shaft in a common casing, a motor mounted on said casing in driving relation with said shaft, partition means dividing said impeller stages into' lower and upper groups of seriesconnected stages, a tank forming a priming chamber, an injector assembly, a pressure line interconnecting the output side of said upper group of stages and said injector assembly, a suction line interconnecting said injector assembly with the input side of said lower group of stages, separate flow connections between said chamber and the output side of said lower group of stages and between said chamber and the input side of said upper group of stages, an accessibly located check valve disposed in said suction line adapted upon cessation of flow through said injector assembly to prevent a reverse flow through said suction line, an accessibly located valve disposed in said pressure line, a diaphragm to open and close said pressure line valve, and means ensuring rapid opening and closing of said pressure line valve comprising means exposing one side of said diaphragm to the pressure condition in said pressure line above said valve, andmeans exposing the other side of said diaphragm to the pressure condition in said suction line above said suction line valve, said pressure line valve being adapted to close when said pressure conditions are substantially equalized and being adapted to open upon relative increase of said pressure line pressure condition with respect to said suction line pressure condition. I

2. In a pump system comprising: a pump unit having a plurality of impeller stages mounted on a shaft in a common casing, a motor mounted on said casing in driving relation with said shaft, partition means dividing said impeller stages into first and second groups of seriesconnected stages, a tank forming a priming chamber, an injector assembly, a pressure line interconnecting the output side of said first group of stages and said injector assembly, a suction line interconnecting said injector assembly with the input side of said second group of stages, separate flow connections betweensaid chamber and the output side of said second group of stages and between said chamber and the input side of said first group of stages, an accessibly located check valve disposed in said suction line adapted upon cessation of flow through said injector assembly to prevent drainage of water from said system through said suction line, and an. accessibly located valve disposed in said pressure line adapted when closed to prevent drainage of water from said system through said pressure line; the improvements comprising a diaphragm element disposed in control relation to said pressure line valve, means exposing one side of said diaphragm element to the pressure condition in said pressure line above said pressure line valve, and means exposing the other side of said diaphragm element to the pressure condition in said suction line above said suction line valve, said pressure line valve being adapted to close when said pressure conditions are substantially equalized and being adapted to open upon relative increase of said pressure line pressure condition with respect to said suction line pressure condition.

3. A pump system comprising a pump unit having a plurality of impeller stages mounted on a shaft in a common casing, a motor disposed in driving relation with said shaft, partition means dividing said impeller stages into first and second groups of series-connected stages, a tank defining therein a priming chamber, an injector assembly, a pressure line interconnecting the output side of said first group of stages and said injector assembly, a suction line interconnecting said injector assembly with the input side of ,said, second group of anew stages, separate flow connections between said chamber and the output side of said second group of stages and between said chamber and the input side of said first group of stages, accessibly located valves disposed in said suction and pressure lines adapted when said motor is de-energized to prevent the drainage of water out of said system through said lines, pressure-responsive means in control relation to the valve in said pressure line, said means being operable in response to an equalization of pressure in said first and second groups of stages to close said valve and being operable in response to an increase in pressure in said first group of stages relative to said second group of stages to open said valve, and means for maintaining said first group of stages in a water-submerged condition.

4. In combination, a multi-stage impeller pump, means embodied therein separating said stages into at least two groups of impeller stages, an injector assembly, a pressure line connecting the output side of one group of stages to said assembly, a suction line connecting the input side of the other group of stages to said assembly, means including a tank providing a fluid fiow connection between the input side of said one group of stages and the output side of said other group of stages, an accessibly located valve disposed in said pressure line, pressure-responsive ilexible means in control relation with said valve operable in response to a decrease in the pressure differential between said groups of stages to close said valve and in response to an increase in said pressure difierential to open said valve, accessibly located valve means disposed in said suction line operable independently of said pressure-responsive means to trap the water contained in said pump and tank upon the closing of said pressure line valve, and means for maintaining said one group of stage in a water-submerged condition.

5. In combination, a vertically disposed pump unit having at leat two impellers of the axial inlet-radial outlet type disposed in spaced relation in a common casing and mounted on a common drive shaft with their inlets disposed downwardly, a flow connection between the outlet side of the upper impeller and the inlet of the lower impeller including a well-disposed injector assembly, a tank, means including a partition within said casing with which said shaft has a free running fit, to direct the outlet flow of said lower impeller away from said upper impeller and into said tank, means to receive water from said tank and direct it to the inlet of said upper impeller above said partition, and a seal of the non-liquid sealing type carried by said partition in wiping engagement with said shaft and operable to prevent direct passage of air from the lower to the upper impeller, said tank being adapted to prevent indirect passage of air from the lower to the upper impeller.

6. A pump system comprising a single chamber tank having a service line connection, an injector assembly disposed in a well, at least a pair of impeller-type pumping units, a first conduit for delivering water from said assembly to said tank including therein one of said units, a second conduit for delivering water from said tank to said assembly including therein the other of said units, drive means for said pumping units, a valve disposed in each conduit between the pumping units and said assembly, the valve in said first conduit being operable to open in response to fluid flow from said assembly and to close upon cessation of said flow, the valve in said second conduit embodying pressure-responsive control means operable to close said valve when the fluid pressure within said pumping units are equalized and to open said valve when the fluid pressure in the unit in said second conduit exceeds that of the unit in said first conduit, said tank being so disposed in relation to said conduits and the pumping units therein as to maintain the units and those portions of the conduits disposed at the tank side of said valves full of water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,394,932 Mueller Feb. 12, 1946 2,421,325 Griswold May 27, 1947 2,424,285 Piccardo July 22, 1947 2,457,388 Lung Dec. 28, 1948 2,478,941 Piccardo Aug. 16, 1949 2,486,288 Jacuzzi Oct. 25, 1949 2,533,028 McConaghy Dec. 5, 1950 2,630,069 Ham's Mar. 3, 1953 2,694,365 Armstrong et a1 Nov. 16, 1954 

